interesting subject of meteorites."

"I remember," answered Thorwald, "I was just asking you what theory you of
the earth hold on that important topic."




CHAPTER XVI

AN UNLIKELY STORY


"If the doctor," I said, "will pardon me, I will say, in relation to the
origin of meteorites, that our scientific men have held from time to time
many different theories. Some have believed that they are aggregations of
metallic vapors which, meeting in the atmosphere, solidify there and fall,
just as watery vapors solidify and come down in the form of hailstones.
Others have held that they are thrown out from the center of the earth by
volcanic action; and others still that they all came from the moon when
her volcanoes were active. These latter theories imply that the meteorites
in immense quantities are revolving around the earth, and that
occasionally they become entangled in her atmosphere and fall to the
surface.

"And now, Thorwald, I am tempted to repay all your great kindness to us
with an act of ingratitude, nothing less than the relation of a story."

This rather foolhardy speech of mine made the doctor wince, and I am not
sure but he began to fear that my mind was weakening in a new direction.